Electrical terminal connector.



R. H. MANSON. ELECTRICALTERMINALGONNBGTGR.

APPLIUATION FILED NOV. 17, 1909.

Patented Malz?, 1911.

easiest.

v Iballwomimayconcem:

nAYn. Manson, or

ELYn1A,'on1o, AssIeNon r.ro THE DEAN ELECTRIC coMrANY, or

ELYRIA, onro, A conronATroN or onro.

f ELECTRICAL TERMINAL connno'ron.

Be it known-that I, RAY H., MANsoN, a citizen'ot the United States, residing at Elyria, in thecounty of Lorainand State of y '"nectors; and

hio, haveinventedcertain new and useful Improvements in vlillectrical Terminal Con-I I do hereby declare the following to b e a full, clear, and exact description of the invention, such as will enable others skilled inthe art to which it appertains to` make and use the same.

My invention relates to terminal connectors such as are used in electric circuits and .the like for the purpose of connecting two conductorsy together'. At present the terminals in general use consist vof set screws or arrangements for soldering the contacts together .'Ilies'ev absorb much time and cause muchtrouble in making the connections;

and, lwhen the connections are made, they depend .for their permanency upon the security of the set screw or the soldering.

,In my invention I employ a terminal into whichxI may readily insert a plugterminal tip or the bare end of a wire which is caught and secured. therein, making a permahent connectionand, at ythe same time, a good contacting association between the conductors. 'Io do this I employ` stationary means into which the terminal is inserted and which engages the wire terminal at two points distant from each other. rI`he resilient member engages the wire terminal at a point distant from both stationary points, and by its resilienoy endeavors to rotate the wire terminal about one of the points as an axis, thus hold-` ing it so firmly pressed-against the stationary parts that it cannot be removed until the pressure exerted by `the resilient member is removed. Connection is both quickly and conveniently made, and can be as readily taken down. rlhe operation upon the device by which the connection is made, is simple and can be performed in inconvenient places.

It is important that. terminals which are intended for long uninterrupted service should not deteriorate, and loosen or release the terminals. Set screws and like terminal connectors are apt to lessen their grip withV long usage, while soldered terminals can be made only in accessible positions. Soldered connections also have the disadvantage oi being hard to interrupt, and,'-lafter interrup.; tion, inconvenient to restore, as their nature Specification of Letters Patent. Application ms november 17, 190e. serial No. 528,558.

Patented Mar. t, v1911.

necessitates the use of a soldering iron. I avoid these troubles, as, by my connector, the connection may be. easily made and broken, and when so made,lwill hold without vloosenlng or releasing its grip until a disconnection is desired. Such disconnection may readily be made and the parts reconnected with the use of thehands alone. It will be seen that I have produced a connector combining many of the advantages of those in use, eliminating many of their inconven- 1ences, and dispensing .with the use of screw dr1vers, soldering irons and other like in struments.

My invention will be best understood by reference to the following description when taken in connection with the accompanying 'illustrations showing specific embodiments thereof, while Vits scope will be more particularly pointed out in the appended claims.

Referrmg to the drawings, Figure 1'v is 'a side elevation of the preferred form of my connector, showing the position of the parts when the'connector is not in use. Fig. 2 is a similar View showing a terminal connected in .thegrip of the connector. Fig. 3 is a front elevation of Fig. 1. Fig. 4 is a side elevation of a modiied form. Fig. 5 is a frontelevation of Fig. 4. Figs. 6, 7 and 8 are s1de elevations of other modifications. Fig. 9 is a vertical longitudinal cross section of Fig. 1. y

In the drawings I have used similar letters for corresponding parts of the dilerent modications. 1

Iteferring now irst to Figs. l, 2, 3, and 9, 1 1 s a base shown here of insulating material.v 2 is a stationary piece having two perforations `20 and 23, each for theinsertion of a terminal. A threaded perforation 21 is cut inthis piece, and a screw or other binding member 7 driven through the I base into this perforation to bind the parts thereof. At 8 I show a `spring member bent over at right `angles at end 4. A second member 5 constitutes a terminal for the connection of a lead.A This is bent up at right angles, as shown at 6. The member 3 is recessed at 11. and 12. The member 5 is recessed at 15, and a vertical slot 10 is cut in the upper part of 6.

To make a connection, I may proceed in two Ways: First, insert the end Sof a con ductor through the recess 11 into the orlfice of the perforation 20. The cut away part 22 permits such insertion when the terminal is at such an anglev as itis necessary for the terminal to assume in this position of lthe parts. By forcing the conductorend of the terminal down, the member 3 is bent over, the terminal entering the slot 10 and penetrating into the perforation 20 when the recess 1-1 is in such a position as to correspond therewith.' The terminal is now retained in this position, as the resiliency of the'spring undertakes to rotate it about one of 'the points 'of engagement in the perforation as an axis, so retaining the terminal, and, by the constant pressure, assuring a good contact. Or, I may depress the spring member 3 until the recess l1 corresponds with the perforation 20 and then insert the terminal, releasing the spring, whereupon the terminal is caught and held as described above.

I provide corresponding recesses 12, 15 and 23 below the slot 10, which may be used to connect a conductor to the binding post by depressing the spring' member 3 until these holes are lin alinement'andthen inserting the terminal. The spring member is then released and vrising grips the terminal holding it in place.

In Figs. 44 and 5 I show two stationary parts and a resilient member, each having a vrecess therein which may be madeto correspond by depression of the resilient mem` ber.` The part 6 instead of,having a slot cut in the upper part, carries the perforation 30. In the modification in FigVG, I show,M a punching 31 having two parallel parts 32 and 33, each of which bears a recessfor the insertion of the terminal.

The modification in Fig. 7,'corresponds to that shown in Fig.` 1, excepting that the parts 3.and 5 .are consolidated` into onepiece. In Flg. 8 show another modification, in which the member 2 is represented by a Y piece 40 bent vover at right angles linto a short stub 43 being U-sha'pedf'atfll' with a leg 42 at riglit angles to 41. The terminal is inserted over the stub vinto a perforation in vthe member 41, vthe part 42 Vbearing against the tip of the terminal. f

While I have shown" my device in these particular forms, it willbe'obvious to those skilled in the art that numerous and eX-v tensive departures from the form anddetails of the apparatus here shown, may be made without departing from' the spirit ,of this invention, the same being herein 'shown solely for the purpose of clearly illustrating the same. Y' A 1 I claim: Y -i 1. In a terminal connector for electrical apparatus, thefcombination of a stationary piece having a terminal recess therein, a second stationary piece havinga slot therein, a movable'resilient member having a terminal recess therein, a terminal adapted to be inserted through said slot into said recess when the movable member is moved to a position Where one recess is in alinement with the other, said movable member adapted by virtue of its resiliency when released to grip said terminal and retain it in position.

2.,In a terminal connector for electrical 3.V In a terminal connector for electricall apparatus, the combination-'of a stationary member havin 'aperforation therein, the edge of the or' ce of said perforation being cut away at the bottom, a spring member having a perforation therein, normally elevated above said stationary member, a ter-1A .minal for an electric conductor adapted to be inserted throughv the perforation in the spring member into the orifice of the stationary member vand when pushed forward to enter the'perforation and to engage and depress the spring member, said spring member coperatingL with 'the stationary member to retain said terminal connection therewith.

4. In a terminalconnector for electrical v apparatus, the combination of a base, a stationary member fastened to said base', a part of the .top ofsaid stationary member beingi elevated above the other part, said elevate part being perforated, la spring-member mounted on said' base and bemg perforated y atone endand-an electric .terminal adapted to be'inser'ted through said perforations, the spring member engaging sald'terminal when so inserted and retaining it in contact with i said stationary member.

5. In a terminal connector for electrical apparatus, 'the combination of a base, a stationary -memberfattached to said base, a erforated lug extending from thel top surace of said stationa'v member, the bottom oftheperforation bemg flush with the top of-said member, a spring member having a Y perforation therein: adapted to be moved into la position-where the perforations are in alinement andv aterminalfor an velectric conductor adapted to be inserted into said 6. I'n an electrical termina-l connector for electric conductors, -tliefcombinaton of a -perforations and-when so' inserted ,to 1` be caught and retained'byA Vsaids'prin'g member.

perforated member, the oriee of the perforation being enlarged, a spring member have ing Aa perforation therein normally in a position in which said perforation is out of alinement With the first perforation and a terminal for an elect-rie conductor, said terminal adapted to be inserted throng-lrA the perforation in the spring member Wliile the perforations are out of alinement, the end of the terminal resting in the enlarged orifice when so inserted, the terminal beingr adapted to enter the perforation in the first named member when thrust forward and to depress the spring member to aposition in Which it is under strain to return to normal7 the spring member by Virtue of such strain gripping the terminal and retaining it in connection with the iirst named member.

In testimony whereof I aflix my signature 20 in presence of two Witnesses. y

RAY H. MANSON.

Vitnesses F. L. CLARK, F. O. RICHEY. 

